


Unblocked Heart

by Niconekonyan



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, Mentioned Bokuto Koutaro, Mentioned Hinata Shouyou, Mentioned Kageyama Tobio, Mentioned Kozume Kenma, Mentioned Oikawa Tooru, Mentioned Tsukishima's mom, Slow Burn, Tsukkiyama just needs to talk, communication is key, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2016-10-05
Packaged: 2018-08-19 17:11:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8218478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niconekonyan/pseuds/Niconekonyan
Summary: Kei has a list of things he hates. The Royal idiots, morning practice, boring classes, exerting effort and his changing relationship with Yamaguchi.
And as the rain poured, Kei realized that he is in fact in love with Yamaguchi. And he wonders if perhaps, this is what it feels like to have your heart broken.





	

 

Kei hates morning practice.

 

It's too early; he gets sweaty before the day even officially starts and he has to put up with noisy energetic people who just wouldn't shut up. It's way too early to test his non-existent patience and honestly, it's way too much effort. Why he even bothers with it every day is beyond him.

 

"Maybe I'm an idiot too." Kei muttered, seconds before his alarm even sounds off. Great, now his body has adapted to waking up for morning practice. At this rate, even if he quits it'll be a while before his body shakes off the routine he apparently has build.

 

How irritating.

 

He sighed and stretched, then looks for his glasses on his bedside table. With a final sigh, he stood up and starts getting ready for school. And as he’s about to leave, his phone beeped.

 

- **Good morning, Tsukki!** \- it read, - **today's gonna be sunny! See you at our spot?** -

 

Kei snorted. Every morning, Yamaguchi messages him the weather for the day, like having his very own personal weather man. Sometimes he wonders if Yamaguchi stares at the TV before breakfast just to catch the forecast of the day. And as soon as they show the forecast, he’d grab his phone and message Kei right away. He wonders idly if Yamaguchi doesn’t get tired of doing it every day.

 

Every freaking day.

 

And yet after all these years he still asks if they're gonna meet at their spot, the place where the roads to their houses intersect. Like they don’t do it every day. As far as Kei remembers, the only times they don’t get to meet is when one of them is sick or dying.

 

- **on my way** \- was Kei's reply.

 

He's greeted with the usual, "Mornin' Tsukki," by Yamaguchi as he reached the meeting place and they both started heading to school. Yamaguchi chatted on about some show he watched and the latest game he bought while Kei pretended to listen. It’s the same old routine everyday and after all these years Kei distantly wonders if Yamaguchi even knows he’s only pretending to listen, or if Yamaguchi is really too much into whatever he’s saying to notice Kei.

 

He’s too used to barely listening to Yamaguchi in the morning so it took him a while to notice the sudden silence, that for some reason, Yamaguchi has gone quiet. He glanced at is companion, but before he could even know if something wrong, he heard a loud, "GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!" Followed by an, "I AM GONNA WIN THIS TIME!!!"

 

Yamaguchi and Kei both jumped back as a blur of red and black shot past them towards the volleyball gym.

 

Of course, the royal idiots are here.

 

"I wonder if they don't get tired of that." Yamaguchi mused. Kei glanced at him again and it seemed that nothing was out of the ordinary.

 

Practice started as usual.

 

The idiots were loud as usual.

 

The teachers droned on about lessons and stupid jargon as usual.

 

Everything was the usual. And Yamaguchi was beside him. Snickering with him, and basically doing what he's always done when he's with Kei. All was routine. And Kei is really used to it.

 

For someone so used to routine, for sticking to what’s effortless and easy, it took Kei a while to realize that they were changing. And it was a surprise to Kei when things started shifting. First, it was Yamaguchi skipping their usual walk home together. He had a vague idea that his constant companion was training with that glasses guy and as a firm believer that effort is a waste of time, he wasn't particularly supportive of Yamaguchi. He thought it'll be pointless, eventually. Sure, Yamaguchi can improve but that still won’t make him part of the regular string. And even if he does make it, that won’t make their renegade volleyball team suddenly the best in Japan as the Royal idiots believed.

 

And frankly, he’d rather not see Yamaguchi’s face as he worked hard, gave all his effort with each extra practice session only to see it crumble in the end- the same way his brother’s efforts did.

 

Things were fine the way they were. He truly that believed they were fine the way they were.

 

But other things started to change too. 

 

Yamaguchi started to grow up. He expanded his wings and was now trying to fly off on his own. And it took Yamaguchi shouting at him to realize that he was being left behind. His friend has become cooler without him realizing. 

 

Perhaps it was then that he realized that he started looking at his constant companion differently. He wanted to spend more time with Yamaguchi. Be it practice or homework or even the usual walk to and from school. He found himself wanting to touch the freckled boy, hold his hand, brush their shoulders. 

 

He looks at Yamaguchi and sees how brilliant his smile has become while talking to their teammates. How his eyes shine when he makes a point with his serve. How his form has improved as he jumps and lands, like a bird landing after a magnificent flight, its wings spread behind him as he touches the ground. And how jovial he is when they win their practice matches and he gets to play. 

 

Things were changing. And Kei was afraid of it.

 

Kuroo was a great distraction. He admittedly got closer to the Nekoma captain during their special training sessions. And he grudgingly liked the guy. He was mature but playful. A true master of provocation and as someone who enjoyed verbal lashing, Kei respects Kuroo’s level of manipulation. And he’s always flirting with Kei too, which was an effective distraction to his growing confusion with Yamaguchi. And it was Yamaguchi who pointed it out.

 

"You've gotten pretty close with Kuroo-san, huh?" Yamaguchi remarked as they were eating their lunch. He just received an email from Kuroo about Bokuto's latest flop and he was once again amused with his "senpais"

 

"Huh?" Kei raised his eyebrow at Yamaguchi.

 

"You two have been messaging a lot. The entire lunch and even while at class too," Yamaguchi shrugged, "and you hate emails."

 

"His mails are just amusing. Unlike most of the other messages I get," Kei quipped. Which was true. Kei just received a message from Hinata earlier about some convoluted theory that Hinata was in fact getting taller. And he's been receiving emails from Nishinoya- san and Tanaka- san too about Kiyoko updates. What was he supposed to do with those?

 

Besides, Kuroo's emails were a great distraction from the awkward feeling he has when he's with Yamaguchi. It distracts him from feeling the urge to grab the freckled boy. Or stare at him like Kei does during class. 

 

He was too busy avoiding eye contact with Yamaguchi, that he didn't notice the other's expression at all.

 

It was that afternoon that Yamaguchi stopped walking home with him.

 

Kei woke up again before his alarm went off and sighed. He prepared for school like always and heard his phone beep, like always. He opened the message, thinking it was the same thing he receives every morning. 

 

- **Morning, sunshine. Let me kiss that scowl away for you.** :-*- Kei had to read it twice to realize it wasn't from Yamaguchi. It was from Kuroo.

 

- **you'll melt my face** \- he replied, then scrolled for any missed messages from Yamaguchi. There were none.

 

He went to their usual spot and waited. After 25 minutes of nothing, no messages or calls from Yamaguchi, he decided to email him.

 

- **where are you** -

 

- **on my way to practice. Almost at school**.- came the reply.

 

- **when did you leave?** \- Kei messaged back. Yamaguchi would pass by this area if he did go to school. It was the only way.

 

- **a while ago. I spent the night at Shimada-san's place** - 

 

Kei stared at the message. He spent the night at that glasses guy's house? Why? And why didn't he tell Kei about it? He clenched his phone, anger bubbling in his chest. He ignored the other emotion, the sudden stabbing in his heart as he read the text again. Kei focused on getting angry instead and as expected, he was a pain during practice. His tongue was sharper, his spikes harder and his glare rivalled Tanaka and Daichi's. 

 

What's worse though is that Yamaguchi seemed normal. Like walking without Kei in the morning is normal. Kei's mood worsened during lunch when Yamaguchi barely talked to him. They just ate together and before he can finish his juice, Yamaguchi already excused himself and went off.

 

Kei was dumbfounded. What the hell is happening here? He glared daggers at Yamaguchi’s retreating back, willing his friend to turn around and come back until he rounded the corner. He was about to follow when his phone rang,

 

"What?" Kei answered without bothering to check who it was. It can be his mother for all he cared. He was just so freaking mad right now.

 

"Ooohh, you are pretty mad," the voice on the other line purred.

 

"Kuroo? Why are you bothering me?" Kei asked.

 

"Ah, a little bird told me that my precious firefly was in a foul mood today. Well, more than the usual. So I called to check on my little one. What's wrong?" Kuroo asked. His tone was teasing but Kei can tell he was concerned.

 

"Nothing." Kei sighed. It's not like he can tell Kuroo that he's in a mood because Yamaguchi barely acknowledged him today.

 

"Doesn't sound like nothing, firefly. C'mon, tell good ol' Kuroo the problem and we'll find a solution for it," Kuroo insisted.

 

"I didn't get my email this morning." Kei mumbled.

 

"Pardon?" Kuroo sounded disbelieving, "you're practically murderous because you didn't get an email?"

 

"You don't understand. I get that message every morning. And earlier I didn't get it." Great. Kei sounded like a whining five year old even through his ears. But he can't help it. Getting messages from Yamaguchi every morning was part of Kei's routine. It was something that he was sure he'll get every day. 

 

"Ok, I'll fix that." Kuroo snickered and proceeded to regale the tale of how Bokuto got sent to the principal’s office earlier because he accidentally slapped the teacher’s face thinking that it was a volleyball while asleep in class.

 

“How did you even know that?” Kei wonders. He knows that his idiot senpais are friends but they’re still from different schools.

 

“Oh, he’s been telling me to save him from detention later. He just messaged me his plans since apparently Akaashi wouldn’t help him.” Kuroo mused.

 

Kei snorted and Kuroo added, “Which plan do you think would work? Plan A would be pretending to be an officer of the wildlife preservation center and demand that they release the rare owl specie they’ve trapped in detention. Plan B is that I’ll smuggle him out inside his sports bag? These are his plans, not mine.”

 

“I doubt he’ll fit in his sports bag.” Kei deadpanned.

 

“Well I can always chop him up. He did say his plans are open to my revisions.”

 

Admittedly Kei's mood got better.

 

But as the afternoon ended and Yamaguchi walked off without him, his bad mood came back tenfold.

 

As it turns out, Kuroo's way of fixing his morning dilemma was to be the one to email Kei every morning with stupid messages filled with emojis. It would have amused Kei if it weren't for the fact that Yamaguchi stopped emailing him at all. Sure they still talk at practice and at lunch but no longer was Yamaguchi the chattering kid he hung out with. He stopped smiling at Kei, just smirked at him. He stopped telling him stories about his day. Yamaguchi stopped talking to him, really talking. 

 

The silence that Kei desired before was now ever present in his time with Yamaguchi. Hell, he even exchanges more words with Kageyama now. Every time he's with Yamaguchi, the silence eats him. It would have been more bearable if Yamaguchi stopped talking to everyone but no. If anything, he's become more friends with the other guys. Their lunch started to include Hinata and Kageyama and later on Yachi. 

 

Kei started to have the vague feeling that Yamaguchi has been avoiding him but he seemed pretty normal. Just a bit distant. And he's not used to that distance. Kei hates it. Hates that Yamaguchi doesn't share his triumphant smile with him anymore. That he's started consulting with Kageyama about volleyball more. That he's laughing at Hinata's jokes and worries about his senpais but wouldn't even spare Kei a single email. Or even a few real words other than the usual greeting. 

 

Yamaguchi can't even spare Kei a single genuine smile, the smile that Kei knows lights up Yamaguchi's eyes. There's a stabbing pain in his heart that he can't just shake off because fuck it hurts not be the one Yamaguchi smiles at.

 

Kei doesn’t know what’s wrong, why things became this way. And he hates not knowing because it makes him feel helpless, which means he cares. And caring for something but not being able to hold it hurts Kei the most. That’s why he stopped caring for so many things- volleyball, his brother, his dreams.

 

But he cares now.

 

Kei stared at the pouring rain by the school lockers. He was about to leave when he realized there was a thunderstorm and he didn't have an umbrella. Which was a first because he always had an umbrella when it rains.

 

He messaged his mom that he'd be late for dinner because it's raining hard and he doesn't have an umbrella so he'll have to wait till it passes.

 

- **That's odd** \- his mother mails back - **you always have one when it rains. Didn't Yamaguchi-kun remind you to bring one?** -

 

And it was a punch in the gut because of course the reason why he always had one when it rained was because Yamaguchi always told him when to bring one. That it was Yamaguchi who would tell him every morning that _it'll be sunny so stop scowling_ , or _it’s already gonna be gloomy to so bring you umbrella and leave you frown._

 

It's just another fucking reminder that he's lost Yamaguchi. He doesn't know why but he did and he doesn't know how to bring him back and fuck fuck why is he realizing this only now?

 

As the rain poured, Kei realized that he is in fact in love with Yamaguchi. And he wonders if perhaps, this is what it feels like to have your heart broken.

 

Kei knows that walking through the rain while broken hearted is only cool in shoujo mangas. So why he even did such a clichéd thing was beyond him. All he knew was that he wanted to get home and curl into a ball in the privacy of his room, just like what he did when he found out the truth about Akiteru years ago. He felt betrayed then. And he certainly felt betrayed now. But what's worse is that his sense of betrayal had no grounds because Yamaguchi was never really his to begin with.

 

So now here he is, trapped at home on a Saturday, because he caught a fever after his stint as a shoujo manga hero. It was so cliché and sappy he wanted to stab himself. He was berating himself for being so damn broken hearted when his mother opened the door slightly and whispered, "Hey your friend is here? Should I let him in?"

 

Kei nodded. His friend? Yamaguchi is finally here and he can spend time with him again and damn he missed Yamaguchi so much he felt like his heart was about to soar. Only to crash and burn when it was Kuroo who entered.

 

"What? Why do you look like you're gonna puke?" Kuroo asked, looking concerned, "am I really that bad to look at?"

 

Kei snorted, but it was half hearted. He felt himself about to break because really, did he just hope Yamaguchi would come now when he hasn't even messaged Kei in months. Isn't it enough that when Kei opened his inbox thrice today, what he saw was Kuroo's name over and over again? That Yamaguchi's name was no longer there, replaced by Kuroo. How much more does he need before he starts accepting that his friend doesn't give a shit anymore? 

 

Kei laughed at how pathetic he is.

 

"Hey, are you delirious or anything?" Kuroo asked worriedly.

 

"Why are you here?" Kei managed to ask.

 

"Why, visiting you of course."

 

"Why?"

 

"Because you're my precious firefly." Kuroo bated his eyelashes at Kei. "Seriously though, we had a practice match yesterday in the area and Kenma got a message from Hinata and they met up. Of course, I had to accompany them because who knows what that hyper shrimp would do to Kenma unsupervised. And that’s how I found out my dear Kei is sick.”

 

“What?” Kei got confused, “Hyper shrimp? Seriously?”

 

“Details. By the way, I have your notes with me." Kuroo waved his hand.

 

"We're not classmates. We're not even in the same year nor the same school, Kuroo." Kei says disregarding the notebook Kuroo placed on his bed.

 

"I know genius, that's from your friend. You know, the server guy you always talk about. Yama- something" Kuroo mused.

 

"Yamaguchi?" Kei asked, his heart once again stirring. He was here? But he didn't even bother to check in?

 

"That's right! Yamaguchi!" Kuroo snapped his finger. "He asked me to give it to you."

 

"If he was here why didn't he come up?" Kei's voice sounded bitter.

 

"Said he was in his way to Shimada's" Kuroo looked at Kei curiously. Like a cat sizing up his prey.

 

Kei stared blankly at Kuroo. He felt numb. Really, his Yamaguchi just dropped by his house without even sparing a glance at him and then left to go to that Shimada guy's place? Like he does now every freaking afternoon. Was Kei that unwanted? Or did Yamaguchi really prefer Shimada that much over him?

 

He wonders idly how many times a heart can break before it really stops beating.

 

He was so deep into his thoughts that he didn't notice Kuroo slowly sitting on his bed and before he knows it, he's wrapped in Kuroo's arms.

 

"What are you doing?" Kei's voice broke because fuck it felt good just to be hugged.

 

"Just cry, you idiot." Came Kuroo's response, "I do this to Kenma when he's closing up. Works with him, might work with you too."

 

"I'm not Kenma," Kei says, burrowing his face deeper into Kuroo's chest.

 

"I know. He's way much cuter." Came Kuroo's fond response.

 

Kei refused to cry in another man’s arms so he didn’t but it still felt good to be held. He wished his brother was here though, so he can truly let it all go. So he can talk to him and explain things and maybe get some answers. Or hell, he really wished it was Yamaguchi hugging him. But for now, he’ll settle for this. For his unlikely friend holding him together as he wished for his other friend’s arms around him.

 

After a while in Kuroo's weird embrace Kei finally decided that he has reached his quota of lameness for his lifetime and lay down.

 

"Since when have you been in love with Yamaguchi?" Kuroo suddenly asked. Kei starts sputtering, " what- who- where the hell do you get- I'm not in love with him."

 

Kuroo looks at him like he spoke dinosaur language with all the sense he was making, "Tsukishima, you practically cried when I told you he was here. And he's all you ever talk about lately. Like how you think he’s overworking himself with his serve practices, or how he didn't give you the answer to a question in class. How he seems to get bullied by Hinata, how he’s gotten closer to this Eno-something guy. Or how you think his hair is getting longer. That's classic _I'm in love with someone_ , dear firefly."

 

Kei snorted, "Of course you'd know, huh." Kuroo just smirked at him and Kei knew there was no point in denying it. "I don't know. Last year? Last month?" Kei sighed, "I'm not sure."

 

"Figures. Have you told him yet?" Kuroo pressed on, 

 

"No," Kei answered, "I didn't even realize it till recently. Like last night."

 

"You should tell him then," Kuroo says as he starts reading Kei's notes.

 

"The guy barely talks to me. What makes you think he'd even want my confession?" Kei groaned. How utterly pathetic can he get?

 

"You'd be surprised," Kuroo mused, "These are very detailed notes." He says like that answers Kei’s questions. Kuroo places the notebooks beside Kei's bed. He stood up and stretched. As he was about to open the door, he looked back at Kei and added, "I'm serious. You should tell the kid. Trust someone who did and look how happy we are."

 

"I haven't seen Kozume look even slightly happy." Kei muttered. Kuroo just laughed at him.

 

"Oh, he's happy. I make sure of it," he winks suggestively. "If you want I can give you Oikawa's number. He went through the same thing with a lot more drama. You can ask for pointers."

 

Kuroo left laughing just as Kei's pillow flew at him.

 

Confessing, Kei realized, is way more difficult than it seemed. He kind of feels guilty towards all the girls he brushed off when they confessed. And no amount of good luck emails from Kuroo (he got ten already) and a long pep message from Bokuto (which pretty much means, I don't know what you're going through but I support you all the way. Just make sure it isn't illegal) could prepare him for what he's about to do. 

 

His eyes immediately focused on Yamaguchi as he entered his classroom.

 

"Yamaguchi," he greeted. His voiced sounded angry, so he made sure to school his expression like normal.

 

"Uh, hey, Tsukki." Yamaguchi blinked at him, "are you feeling better now?"

 

"Yes," he said and Yamaguchi flinched at his tone. Well fuck how the hell is he supposed to say I love you to this guy when his tone sounds so mad. Kei cleared his throat.

 

"Thanks for the notes," he said. Yamaguchi's eyes softened, and Kei felt his heart burst. He hasn't seen that gaze in such a long time. Oh how he missed it, the soft gaze that Yamaguchi always aims at him whenever they were together. He was about to say more when the teacher came in and classes started.

 

- **have you told him yet?** \- came Kuroo's message during lunch. He was waiting for Yamaguchi at their usual spot and made sure it'll be just them. All he had to do was glare at Yachi and she went the opposite direction to where they were heading and a few insults to Hinata (you're really small. Maybe that's why you can't serve beyond the king's head) and now the two idiots are in the gym practicing till lunch ends, he assumed.

 

So it will be just him and Yamaguchi.

 

- **not yet** \- he messaged back.

 

- **don't wait long.** \- came in the reply followed by a message from an unknown number. It said,

 

\- **dear Kei-chan, I received a distress signal from a feline acquaintance so here I am sending you my  support!** **Happily get your lover and make sure to prance around Tobio-chan all lovey dovey so he'd know what he's missing and what he'll never have!-**

 

He didn't have to think to know whom it was from.

 

Kei was still glaring at his phone when Yamaguchi came.

 

“Where’s everyone?” he asked, looking around.

 

“The Royal idiots are practicing and Yachi disappeared,” Kei replied. _Great_ , Kei thinks to himself, _I don’t sound mad anymore and I seem calm and cool. Get it together, Tsukishima. How hard can confessing to your childhood friend who hasn’t talked to you in a while be?_

 

“Oh, uh, so it’s just us then huh.” Yamaguchi muttered. Well if anything, it’s Yamaguchi who looks uncomfortable.

 

“Yeah,” Kei sighed. _Come on, Kei, don’t be such a pathetic loser. Just say it._

 

“Yeah, well let’s eat lunch. I remember I have to drop by Hinata’s class to get back the dictionary I lent him-“

 

“Are you avoiding me?” Kei accused.

 

Yamaguchi stiffened. “No?” he gulped.

 

“No? Then why have you suddenly disappeared, Yamaguchi?” This was not how Kei planned this to happen at all.

 

“W-what do you mean? I’m right here, Tsukki.” Yamaguchi cast his eyes down, looking at the ground as if it was suddenly so interesting.

 

“You know what I mean.” Kei stepped forward, closing in on Yamaguchi, “You stopped talking to me. You stopped smiling at me. Hell you freaking stopped looking at me. Like what you’re doing now!”

 

Yamaguchi bit his lips, “Isn’t it what you wanted?”

 

“What?” Kei asked, perplexed. “What the hell are you talking about?”

 

“I know, Tsukki, that you’re not really listening when I talk to you in the morning. I know that you find my emails irritating and that you think my extra practice sessions are stupid. I know you only put up with me all these years because you pitied me and you think I’m pathetic and-“

 

“Who the hell told you that?!” Kei grabbed Yamaguchi’s collar. Before Yamaguchi can respond though, a voice cut through their conversation.

 

“Ah, good, you’re here! I was looking for Takeda-sensei about something Keishin asked me to do.” And of course it had to be glasses guy at this time. How perfect his timing is.

 

“Sh-Shimada-san.” Yamaguchi whispered, as Kei released his collar.

 

Shimada blinked, finally realizing the tense atmosphere. He looked at both boys, brows knotting in disapproval, “Are you guys fighting?”

 

“No.” Kei and Yamaguchi chorused. Shimada looked at them meaningfully, as if he didn’t believe what the boys were saying. He glanced at Yamaguchi, noting his trainee’s flustered face and at Kei’s clenched fist. Then he suddenly smirked, as if he just found out something amusing.

Kei was getting more and more irritated at Shimada.

 

“Oh. I thought you two were. Anyways, I was looking for Takeda-sensei?”

 

“Ah, right. He might be at the faculty room?” Yamaguchi cleared his throat, “Shall I accompany you there?”

 

Kei’s head whipped at Yamaguchi. Oh, hell no. he still had a confession to make and things weren’t going as planned but he’d be damned if he let Yamaguchi leave with that guy.

 

Yamaguchi started walking off, ignoring Kei’s sputtered protests. And as he reached Shimada’s side, Shimada placed his arms around Yamaguchi’s shoulders. He smiled a challenging smile at Kei and said, “That’s my Tadashi. Such a sweet boy.”

_My Tadashi?!_

All hell broke loose then. Kei didn’t know what happened and frankly he didn’t care. All he knew was that his body moved on its own, grabbing Yamaguchi. He vaguely remembers his knuckles hitting something and the sound of glasses cracking but he didn’t care.

_My Tadashi_.

 

It kept repeating over and over in his head.

 

“Tsukki, wait-“

 

_My Tadashi_

 

“Shimada-san’s hurt-“

_Tadashi_

 

“Wait! What the hell is wrong with you, Kei!” Yamaguchi shrieked, pulling his arm back.

 

“You don’t belong to him!” Kei bellowed.

 

“What?”

 

“He fucking called you Tadashi! My Tadashi! How dare he do that?!” Kei bellowed. They were both breathing hard, looking at each other warily, as if they were enemies and not long-time friends. Perhaps they knew instinctively, Kei thought, that this conversation has the power to end their friendship, that both of them had the power to break the other’s heart. They were both raw at this point, adrenaline running wild. Kei knows he has to calm down.

 

This was definitely not part of his plan.

 

“You punched a guy because he called me by my name?” Yamaguchi asked. He calmed down as well and when Kei looked at him, there was something different about his expression. As if he was controlling something. There was a certain light in his eyes and Kei dared to hope.

 

“No.” Kei stepped forward, closing the space between them, “I punched him because he called you, My Tadashi, when he had no right to.”

 

Yamaguchi gulped, eyes never leaving Kei’s, “Why is that?”

 

“No one can call you Tadashi, let alone his. Because I’m the only one allowed to do that, Tadashi.” And god it felt so right for Kei to finally call him that. As if he was born to call his friend by his name. How the name sounded so light from his lips and how it felt like finally coming to the place where he should be.

 

“Why?” Tadashi whispered, leaning towards Kei. He was so close, Kei noted. He could clearly see the freckles dancing on Tadashi’s cheeks. Like a handful of stars cast across the sky. He truly was beautiful.

 

Kei grabbed Tadashi’s chin, “Because you’re mine, Tadashi.” Kei kissed his forehead.

 

“I love you, My Tadashi.” He whispered. And suddenly Tadashi’s lips were on him, soft and eager and warm. Oh so warm. He would never admit it, but he could swear he saw fireworks as their lips touched. And like a cliché shoujo manga hero, he felt so overwhelmed by love. The love that he never knew even existed until it was almost lost from him forever. This moment felt even better than when he blocked a powerful spike.

 

This was what had been missing in his life. This is why he had to keep on going.

 

He felt a tongue probing his lips, and Kei groaned. He backed Tadashi against the wall as he gave him entrance. Their tongues danced and he explored Tadashi’s sweetness. Finally, he was finally in Tadashi’s arms and Tadashi was finally in his. The freckled boy gasped and they broke free. They stared at each other’s eyes, both dilated with desire. Tadashi’s cheeks were flushed and Kei knew he looked as dishevelled as his companion.

 

“What about Kuroo-san?” Tadashi whispered.

 

“What about Kuroo?” Kei’s brain wasn’t functioning as fast as he’d like.

 

“I mean, aren’t you two together?” Tadashi bit his lips. Oh how Kei wanted to bite those plump lips as well. Now what did Tadashi say?

 

Kei snorted, “What? Seriously? You thought I was with Kuroo?”

 

“You weren’t? But the messages and the smiles and you were always talking to each other?” Tadashi swallowed, “You like him.”

 

“Well, yeah, I like him.” Kei said, drawing Tadashi closer, “But as a, uh, person. I guess. And as I said before I only tolerate his messages because they were amusing enough. And because someone stopped texting me in the morning.”

 

“I thought you didn’t like them. You said they were annoying and I thought I just annoyed you with my chatter because you never respond. You barely even listen!”

 

“I know. I’m sorry about that.” Kei sighed, “I think I just got used to having you around. You’ve always been there for me and I never thought that you’d be gone.” He kissed Tadashi’s nose. “Don’t leave me again, please. I promise I’d take better care of you. I’ll show you how special you are. Just don’t leave again.”

 

“I didn’t leave. And even if I wanted to, I don’t think I ever can. I’ve been in love with you my whole life” Tadashi blushed.

 

Kei blushed and looked away, “And that Shimada guy? You’ve been spending an awful lot of time with him lately. What’s up with that?”

 

“Nothing, I swear. He’s really just a great teacher” Tadashi smiled.

 

“Well you’re not allowed to spend too much time with him.” Kei glared.

 

“But he’s still teaching me the jump float serve!” Tadashi pouted and Kei groaned.

 

“Don’t pout at me, Tadashi. And for the record, you just ruined my carefully planned confession. What do you have to say for yourself?”

 

“Sorry, Tsukki.” Tadashi kissed Kei lightly.

 

“Kei. Call me Kei” he said as he deepened the kiss

 

“Sorry, Kei.” Tadashi whispered as their lips parted, before they joined again.

 

“Who would’ve thought that you’d go about your confession with more drama than Oikawa? You even punched a guy in the face huh.” Kuroo purred at the other end of the line.

 

He messaged Kuroo the night he and Tadashi finally made up. Really all he texted was a thumbs up and a second later he received calls from both Bokuto and Oikawa congratulating him (although in Bokuto’s case he still didn’t know what Kei succeeded at. He’s just glad that his kohai has done well.) And he was in a great mood that he didn’t have the heart to tell Oikawa that dear Tobio-chan already had his own hands full with the tiny hyper shrimp to notice that Kei found a love life.

 

He fell asleep last night with a smile on his face, unusual as it may be.

 

“Who told you it was dramatic” Kei deadpanned. He glanced at his watch. He was too early at the meeting place.

 

“Well, dear firefly, you and your boyfriend had your little chat behind the volleyball gym. And who was in that gym?”

 

Kei groaned, “Let me guess. Hinata was there and he told Kozume and he told you.”

 

“Bingo!” Kuroo sing-sang, “Honestly though, you should find places with more privacy before you molest your boyfriend.”

 

“How did you know it’ll work out?” Kei asked, suddenly serious, “Tadashi could’ve rejected me you know.”

 

“He wouldn’t. Who do you think called me when you were having a bad day before?” Kuroo replied.

 

“I always thought it was Hinata reporting to Kozume. I swear those two are worse than my mom and her neighbour friends when it comes to gossip.”

 

“Nah. It was a certain freckled boy who was worried about his beloved best friend despite apparently nursing his own broken heart.”

 

“You mean Tadashi called you?” Kei asked, a bit shocked that Tadashi would go as far as calling Kuroo just to help Kei feel better.

 

“Bingo again!” Kuroo purred, “And besides, it was obvious from the notes he left you. I told you they were very detailed. It’s really obvious. Frankly, you two were very obvious.”

 

“Whatever.” Kei huffed, he glanced around and saw Tadashi walking towards them. He waved at Kei and Kei smiled in return.

 

“Hey, Kuroo,”

 

“Yes, dear firefly?”

 

“Thanks.” Kei said sincerely. Then added, “You don’t have to message me in the morning anymore. I’m fine now.”

 

He could practically hear Kuroo smile, “Sure thing.”

 

“Was that Kuroo-san?” asked Tadashi as he reached Kei’s side. But instead of answering Kei just grabbed Tadashi’s waist and kissed him deeply.

 

“What was that for?” Tadashi asked as they broke free. His face was flushed and Kei loved the way his lips shone from their kiss.

 

“No reason.” Kei laced their fingers together and they started walking towards morning practice.

 

It was still early, and Kei knew that when they reach the gym, the idiots would be there, doing something idiots do and school would be boring with the teachers droning on and on. But with Tadashi animatedly chatting on his side, hands in Kei’s and smiling his special smile, Kei doubts he’d hate this day for even a second.

 

He received his final morning text from Kuroo the next day. He smiled as he read it before joining Tadashi’s side. They kissed and held hands as they made their way to school. They were together, just like yesterday, and hopefully, tomorrow as well until this becomes their new routine.

 

- **Have fun with your _boyfriend_ \- **Kuroo’s text read.

 

**Kei intend to do just that.**

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic for this fandom. Tsukkiyama is love and these dorks are life.
> 
> Your comments are greatly appreciated. You may send requests/ follow me at my tumblr: http://niconekonyan.tumblr.com/
> 
> Hope to hear from you!!!


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